Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979 in Houston, Texas) is a Grammy Award … Read Full Bio ↴Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979 in Houston, Texas) is a Grammy Award nominated rapper, member of The Color Changin' Click and founder of Chamillitary Entertainment. Better known as Chamillionaire, he also uses nicknames such as The Mixtape Messiah, King Koopa, Color Changin' Lizard, Chamillinator, Chamillitary Mayne, Major Payne and The Truth From Texas. He began rapping in 1998, releasing mixtapes and a collab album with fellow Houston rapper Paul Wall. He released his debut album, The Sound of Revenge, in 2005, and his sophmore release, Ultimate Victory, in 2007. He plans to release his yet untitled third album at the end of 2009 or early 2010.

After his parents, a Muslim father from Oyo State, Nigeria and a Christian mother from the United States, separated in his early teenage years, Chamillionaire settled into a notoriously dangerous inner-city neighborhood in North Houston called Acres Homes, which he elaborated upon during an interview with Houston's 104.9 KPTY on October 3. Rap and other forms of secular music, which his parents had highly opposed in their household, became very appealing to the young Hakeem Seriki. Inspired by local rap acts such as The Geto Boys, 8 Ball & MJG, and UGK, as well as other national acts such as N.W.A. and Public Enemy, Chamillionaire began to compose his own ponies.

At a young age, Chamillionaire along with fellow rap music artist and childhood friend Paul Wall, had decided to make music their careers. One day while promoting themselves at a Texas event, Paul Wall and Chamillionaire ran into Michael 5000 Watts, a popular mixtape DJ from the Northside. After proposing to do promotions for Watts' company, the Swishahouse, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall came to Watts' studio and convinced Watts to allow them freestyle on an intro to Watts' radio show on Houston’s 97.9 The Box. Watts, who himself was convinced to rap on the record, enjoyed the freestyle so much that he put the verses on one of his mixtapes. The freestyle became so popular in the streets that Chamillionaire and Paul Wall became regular staples on Houston's mixtape circuit, appeared on several of Watts' mixtapes, and became permanent members of Swishahouse.

Although Paul Wall and Chamillionaire were making much noise in the streets by rapping on Watts' mixtapes, they, along with several other members of the Swishahouse, became frustrated with the lack of money they were receiving from the mixtapes. After fellow member Slim Thug left the label, Chamillionaire and Paul Wall followed and started their own mixtape group known as The Color Changin' Click. Each successive mixtape released by The Color Changin' Click led to more business opportunities; the most notable of which being a contract to do a full album for Paid in Full Records. A one album contract was then negotiated between the Color Changin' Click and Paid in Full's label head, DJ Madd Hatta from 97.9 The Box, and the CCC's first album, Get Ya Mind Correct, would go on to sell over 100,000 copies.

The sale of all these albums without the backing of a major deal caught the attention of several major labels wanting to sign Chamillionaire and Paul. Chamillionaire and his labelmates decided to remain independent, however, until the right deal came along. While working on his second album with the Color Changin' Click, Chamillionaire began to have creative differences with Paul Wall, so much so that it was decided that the two emcees should each release solo albums that would be packaged together. When Chamillionaire became dissatisfied with how things were being resolved, he left Paid in Full and his almost complete album after fulfilling his contractual obligations to focus on promoting his mixtape label Chamillitary instead. As a kid, Chamillionaire was a big fan of MANKind, also known as Big June.

Chamillionaire's Myspace

This kid from Houston, Texas has some nerve. That's what came to mind as you watched an MTV special in early 2005 showcasing H-Town's commercial and artistic re-emergence on the rap scene. Following his brazen freestyle, the focused and much-heralded MC known as Chamillionaire faced a national audience and launched a swagger-filled proclamation on camera: "I'm the truth from Texas..." While such boasting may seem par-for-the-course in the prideful 25-year-plus history of hip-hop, the latter ambitious statement aptly describes Chamillionaire. It's the reason why he earned the lofty alias "The Mixtape Messiah," a title Cham was crowned after independently selling over 100,000 copies of the Get Ya Mind Correct album, and by selling thousands of his numerous mix tapes. It's why the former member of Houston's legendary mix-tape power Swisha House garnered coverage in such major hip-hop publications as Source and XXL without the backing of a major deal. When the Houston lyricist set off a major label bidding war to distribute his Chamillitary Records, it became abundantly clear throughout the 'hood and the music industry Chamillionaire is indeed the truth.

With his major-label debut The Sound Of Revenge set for release on Universal Records, Chamillionaire is poised to take his place among Houston's current hip-hop elite, including the new generation of rhyme-spitters such as Lil' Flip, Slim Thug, Mike Jones and Paul Wall, as well respected vets UGK and Scarface. "You call out a lot of rappers and ask them why they are the best and they are going to tell you everything but the music," Cham laughs. "They will tell you that they are the best because they have some nice rims, a chain, and a mansion." He then adds in a straight-no-chaser tone, "You've heard all the hype about Chamillionaire; that he's sick with the lyrics, sings hooks, and represents the streets and the clubs. But I just want to come as close as possible to living up to my reputation."

Chamillionaire recruits an impressive list of talent on his debut effort, including Lil' Flip, Bun B, Scarface, and Krayzie Bone, as well as in-demand producers Scott Storch (50 Cent), Mannie Fresh (Lil' Wayne, Baby, Juvenile) and Cool & Dre (The Game). But, it's his work with Atlanta studio kings The Beat Bullies (1Big Boi/OutKast) that sets the tone for much of The Sound Of Revenge's diverse platform. "They understand me," Cham says of the in-house producers. "There are a lot of producers that have dope beats, but they don't know me as an artist. [The Beat Bullies] being from Atlanta, can take it to the strip clubs, the streets and to the radio."

The name Chamillionaire represents the unique style that defines the talented urban artist, and his ability to change and adapt on the fly, forcing people to respect the true breadth of his talent. And just as this MC moniker exemplifies, Chamillionaire is anything but predictable and most certainly versatile. "Picture Perfect" featuring Bun B comes off as a lyrical nod to the classic 'hood swagger of UGK, while the Beat Bullies'-anchored "Radio Interruption" showcases Cham's prowess for walking the blurred line between street praise and mass appeal. The storytelling brilliance of "No Snitching" (Cool & Dre), finds Cham detailing the unwritten laws of 'hood politics. On the Scott Storch produced "Turn It Up," Cham tag-teams with freestyle king Lil' Flip as they spit over an infectious track that is Houston's answer to a summer club banger. And the soulful "Here Comes The Rain" finds Chamillionaire exploring the daily struggles of life with heartfelt lyricism and ghetto angst.

"It's a very personal song and the title says it all," Cham says of the revealing track. "In a person's life the rain symbolizes the struggles we all go through. Whether you are dealing with losing a loved one or your rent is due on the 1st, but it's the 3rd and you don't have it. I'm just talking about surviving the tough times."

Chamillionaire has definitely seen his share of struggles on his road to redemption. Born to a Muslim father and Christian mother, secular music was banned in his household. Chamillionaire was barely a teenager when he moved to a low-income neighborhood in the notorious North Side of Houston, following the separation of his parents. By the early '90s, however, rap rebels such as NWA, Public Enemy, as well as hometown heroes The Geto Boys, 8-Ball & MJG and UGK would inspire a young Hakeem to write his own rhymes.

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Chamillionaire's Myspace

Go Grind
Chamillionaire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A lot of lazy dude out there
You wanna shine but put in no work
Wanna ball but they gone sit on the couch and watch TV all day
This don't come over night for us
We grinding we were dope with every thing we got
People when saying no is tough the most
You got two ears and one month
That means you need to listen twice as much as you talk

Listen listen
They say rapping's a waste of knowledge
Take ya ass to college
Now they broke ass call us
Trying to ask for Dollars
Sitting behing glass Impala's
High class Impala's
I make two cash deposits every time I pass the closet
If niggas looking for the grands
The grands can be spotted
Chamillions the man
He got it in his hand of wallet
Ain't no if's and's about it
That man's the hottest
I accidently spent five grand
Cause man we Ballas
We don't shop at Family Dollars
If your ice is fake
If you ask me for a verse
I make my price inflate
We still ghetto looking for some metal mics to break
I'm still hanging around a hood like a license plate
I'm not capping cause trust me
You'll know when I'm capping
When I pull out that gat
And you hear that thang click clacking
You hear what that boy said
Don't be a hard head
Save me some left overs I'm through with some raw bread

Let's open the garage and pull them cars out (Why)
Show em how boys in the dirty South shine
Money is on your mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
Get off of you're behind and go grind (Yeaah)

There's no time to sleep
We hustle and grind all the time
Because money's always on our mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
You saying you wanna shine
Then get up off of your behind and go grind (Yeaaah)

They say stunting's a waste of money
Man invest it in stocks
Now they homeless and out of work
Ever since Enron flopped
Have a hustle for every season
That's the Babeoulous way
Mo money underneath my mattress
Then you have in your safe
When money slow up
Make a different hustle blow up
A lot cats older then me but they ain't never grow up
Boys hit a couple of licks buy some kicks and they quit
I ain't hustling for a fifth I'm on the grind to get rich
I ain't gone lie I got lazy making fifty a week
But when that fifty sunk to ten I woke up out of my sleep
I don't compete with other ballers
I inspire myself
Self-Employed I could write a cheque
And hire myself
I admire myself with a set of Slabs salute
All courtesy of my underground mass of loot
It don't matter what it cost just grab some loot
I'll earn it back before your class is through
It's going down

Let's open the garage and pull them cars out (Why)
Show em how boys in the dirty South shine
Money is on your mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
Get off of you're behind and go grind (Yeaaah)

There's no time to sleep
We hustle and grind all the time
Because money's always on our mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
You saying you wanna shine
Then get up off of your behind and go grind (Yeaaah)

Listen they say our album just dropped
And we ain't proved a thing
Look at the Sound Scan scanning
Tell us who's the King
Okay if we don't hit Top 100 on Billboards
We still gone feel joy 50 hundreds in Bills boy
We Running Houston streets
So you can say we Road Runners
You better hide your deer like we was Doe Hunters
Never made doe from a dealer I'm no dope runner
But I intercept chips like a kick from a slow punta
Hut one hut two we coming through what it do
Disrespecting that Houston Texas underground (What a fool)
It's okay if you DeeJay's don't give us Radio play
We tell the streets to go get our CD today they obey
Underground CD seller
Hundred Thousand or better
But I'm not in this game to get
Grammy letter or metal
Just trying to make a lot of chedda
Mirror Mirror on the wall
Can you tell us who really ball
Chamillion and Paul Wall

Let's open the garage and pull them cars out (Why)
Show em how boys in the dirty South shine
Money is on your mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
Get off of you're behind and go grind (Yeaaah)

There's no time to sleep
We hustle and grind all the time
Because money's always on our mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
You saying you wanna shine
Then get up off of your behind and go grind
Yeaah

Let's open the garage and pull them cars out (Why)
Show em how boys in the dirty South shine
Money is on your mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
Get off of you're behind and go grind (Yeaah)

There's no time to sleep
We hustle and grind all the time
Because money's always on our mind
Chasing them Dollar signs
You saying you wanna shine

Then get up off of your behind and go grind
Yeaah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chamillionaire's song "Go Grind" are centered around the idea of hard work and persistence being the key to success. The song addresses people who want to succeed but are not willing to put in the hard work required to achieve their goals. Chamillionaire urges his listeners to get up and go out into the world, to hustle and grind to make their dreams a reality. He also talks about how he and his crew have worked hard to achieve their level of success, and they continue to work hard every day in order to maintain it.

Throughout the song, Chamillionaire emphasizes that success does not come overnight. He encourages the listener to never give up, and to always work towards their goals. He also stresses that people should listen twice as much as they talk, as this is a key factor in learning and growing.

Overall, "Go Grind" serves as a motivation for anyone who wants to achieve success, but is struggling to find the drive to put in the hard work required.

Line by Line Meaning

A lot of lazy dude out there
There are many people who are lazy and unwilling to put in the necessary work

You wanna shine but put in no work
You desire success and recognition, but you are not willing to put in the effort required to achieve it

Wanna ball but they gone sit on the couch and watch TV all day
You want to live a luxurious lifestyle, but instead, you spend your time lazily watching television

This don't come over night for us
We have not achieved success and wealth overnight; it has taken us time and hard work

We grinding we were dope with every thing we got
We are working tirelessly, giving our best effort in everything we do

People when saying no is tough the most
The most difficult thing for people to do is say no

You got two ears and one month
You have the capability to listen twice as much as you speak

That means you need to listen twice as much as you talk
Therefore, it is important for you to prioritize listening over speaking

They say rapping's a waste of knowledge
Some people believe that pursuing a career in rap is a waste of intellectual potential

Take ya ass to college
They suggest that you should pursue higher education instead

Now they broke ass call us
Now, those same people who criticize us for rapping are financially struggling and seek our assistance

Trying to ask for Dollars
They are attempting to borrow money from us

Sitting behind glass Impala's
They are now envious of our luxurious cars, which we can only see through the windows

High class Impala's
Our cars are of high quality and expensive

I make two cash deposits every time I pass the closet
I regularly deposit large sums of money into the bank when I walk past my closet

If niggas looking for the grands
If people are looking for large sums of money

The grands can be spotted
They can easily identify where the large sums of money are located

Chamillions the man
Chamillionaire is the dominant figure in this context

He got it in his hand of wallet
He has a significant amount of money in his wallet

Ain't no if's and's about it
There is no doubt or uncertainty regarding this matter

That man's the hottest
He is currently the most popular and successful individual

I accidentally spent five grand
I unintentionally used up five thousand dollars

Cause man we Ballas
Because we spend extravagantly and live a luxurious lifestyle

We don't shop at Family Dollars
We do not shop at cheap, low-cost stores like 'Family Dollar'

If your ice is fake
If your jewelry is fake or of low quality

If you ask me for a verse
If you request me to provide a verse for your song

I make my price inflate
I will increase the cost of my services

We still ghetto looking for some metal mics to break
We are still from a disadvantaged background, searching for opportunities to succeed in the music industry

I'm still hanging around a hood like a license plate
I still spend time in the neighborhood where I grew up, like a license plate is attached to a vehicle

I'm not capping cause trust me
I am not lying, because you can trust me

You'll know when I'm capping
It will be evident when I am lying or exaggerating

When I pull out that gat
When I draw my gun

And you hear that thang click clacking
And you hear the sound of the gun readying to fire

You hear what that boy said
You pay attention to the words that person spoke

Don't be a hard head
Do not be stubborn or resistant to advice

Save me some left overs I'm through with some raw bread
Please save me some food that remains uneaten, as I have finished consuming a considerable amount of uncooked dough

Let's open the garage and pull them cars out (Why)
Let us display our expensive cars by opening the garage (Why?)

Show em how boys in the dirty South shine
Demonstrate to others the success and prosperity achieved by individuals from the southern United States

Money is on your mind
You constantly think about money and its acquisition

Chasing them Dollar signs
You are actively pursuing wealth and financial success

Get off of you're behind and go grind (Yeaah)
Stop being lazy and put in the necessary effort to succeed

There's no time to sleep
There is no opportunity to rest or waste time

We hustle and grind all the time
We constantly work hard and put in the necessary effort to achieve success

Because money's always on our mind
Money is constantly a primary concern and focus for us

You saying you wanna shine
You claim that you desire to be successful and recognized

Then get up off of your behind and go grind (Yeaaah)
Therefore, it is essential for you to stop being lazy and start working hard to achieve your goals

They say stunting's a waste of money
Some people believe that flaunting one's wealth is a foolish expenditure of funds

Man invest it in stocks
Instead, they suggest that you invest your money in the stock market

Now they homeless and out of work
However, these same individuals are now homeless and unemployed

Ever since Enron flopped
This occurred after the Enron Corporation collapsed

Have a hustle for every season
It is advantageous to have a different source of income for each season

That's the Babeoulous way
This is the approach of someone who is successful and wealthy

Mo money underneath my mattress
I keep a significant amount of money hidden beneath my mattress

Then you have in your safe
More money is kept under my mattress compared to what you have stored in your safe

When money slow up
When money is not flowing or coming in as frequently

Make a different hustle blow up
I will focus on another business venture that will generate considerable profit

A lot cats older than me but they ain't never grow up
There are many individuals older than me who have failed to mature or develop in a successful manner

Boys hit a couple of licks buy some kicks and they quit
Some individuals quickly make money through illegal activities, purchase expensive sneakers, and then stop their criminal behavior

I ain't hustling for a fifth I'm on the grind to get rich
I am not working hard just to earn a small fraction; I am focused on becoming extremely wealthy

I ain't gone lie I got lazy making fifty a week
I must admit that I became lazy when I was making only fifty dollars per week

But when that fifty sunk to ten I woke up out of my sleep
However, when my income decreased to only ten dollars, I suddenly became motivated and alert

I don't compete with other ballers
I do not engage in rivalries or comparisons with other wealthy individuals

I inspire myself
I find my own motivation and inspiration

Self-Employed I could write a cheque
As a self-employed individual, I have the ability to write a check for any amount

And hire myself
I have the opportunity to employ myself for various tasks or projects

I admire myself with a set of Slabs salute
I proudly showcase my customized cars, known as 'slabs,' which receive admiration and praise

All courtesy of my underground mass of loot
This success is all thanks to the significant amount of money I have earned from my underground endeavors

It doesn't matter what it costs, just grab some loot
The expense is irrelevant; simply acquire a considerable amount of money

I'll earn it back before your class is through
I will quickly regain any money spent, even before your educational session is completed

It's going down
A significant event or development is about to occur

They say our album just dropped
People are commenting on the recent release of our music album

And we ain't proved a thing
However, we have not yet demonstrated or proven our abilities or talent

Look at the Sound Scan scanning
Observe the monitoring and tracking of our music's performance through SoundScan

Tell us who's the King
Determine which artist deserves the title of the most successful or prominent

Okay if we don't hit Top 100 on Billboards
Even if our music does not achieve a position within the top 100 on the Billboard charts

We still gone feel joy 50 hundreds in Bills boy
We will still experience immense happiness and satisfaction due to having a significant amount of fifty-dollar bills

We Running Houston streets
We are dominating the streets of Houston

So you can say we Road Runners
This allows you to compare us to fast and agile road runners

You better hide your deer like we was Doe Hunters
You should protect and conceal your valuable possessions, as if we were skilled hunters searching for deer

Never made doe from a dealer
We have never made money through illegal drug dealing

I'm no dope runner
I am not involved in the transportation or distribution of illegal drugs

But I intercept chips like a kick from a slow punta
Instead, I intercept and acquire large sums of money, similar to intercepting a soccer ball struck slowly

Hut one hut two we coming through what it do
We are making our way forward and into the scene, ready to take action

Disrespecting that Houston Texas underground (What a fool)
Showing disrespect towards the underground rap scene in Houston, Texas is foolish and unwise

It's okay if you DeeJays don't give us Radio play
We are not concerned if radio DJs do not play our music

We tell the streets to go get our CD today they obey
Instead, we rely on the streets to actively support our music and purchase our CDs

Underground CD seller
We are independent artists who sell our CDs directly to the public

Hundred Thousand or better
We sell a significant number of CDs, reaching a hundred thousand or more

But I'm not in this game to get Grammy letter or metal
However, I am not pursuing this career in order to receive Grammy awards or certifications

Just trying to make a lot of chedda
I am solely focused on earning a substantial amount of money

Mirror Mirror on the wall
When looking at a mirror, I ask for a reflection of the truth

Can you tell us who really ball
Can you identify and reveal the individuals who are truly successful and wealthy

Chamillion and Paul Wall
It is me, Chamillionaire, and Paul Wall who excel in this regard

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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